On Saturday, May 24, Arizona State University Gammage hosted its High School Music Theatre Awards. Mingus Union High School’s A Troupe of Ridiculous Thespians’ production of “Mamma Mia” was also recognized as one of the five best musicals in the state.
ATORT also had nine finalists for several awards and took home two of them.
Photo courtesy of ASU Gammage/Tim Trumble Photography
Mekenzie Combs earned a scholarship by receiving the ASU Gammage Leadership Award and was selected as a top three finalist for Best Lead Female for her portrayal of Donna Sheridan. She competed live on the Gammage stage and took first place, and in a few weeks, she will be making her Broadway debut during the Jimmy Awards.
“I am beyond proud of Mekenzie and what she has accomplished,” Theatre Director James Ball said. “Not many 18-year-olds get this experience, especially from our town. It was nervewracking, and I was a mess in the audience, but she held her composure and absolutely crushed it on stage. There was crying, screaming and joy from every member of our theatre team, students, parents, and community at that one moment they announced her the winner of Best Lead Female.”
Photo courtesy of ASU Gammage/Tim Trumble Photography
“The moment they announced that I had won I honestly blacked out. When that initial shock passed, I was beyond grateful to have this opportunity presented to me. I cried a lot and celebrated with family and friends. Going to Broadway at 18 is a lifelong dream come true. It feels like a head start into a life of acting and performing in the industry,” Combs said.
Photo courtesy of ASU Gammage/Tim Trumble Photography
Combs will be performing and competing live on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, where the Lion King currently plays, on Monday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m. eastern time. A free livestream link is available at jimmyawards.com.
The Jimmy Awards are the Tony Awards for high school students. They are hosted by the Broadway League and students receive a week of instruction in singing, acting, dance and social media from industry professionals in New York City.
Photo courtesy of ASU Gammage/Tim Trumble Photography
Mingus has only won this coveted award once, back in the first year of the ASU HSMTA program in 2015, when Glo Alcala won for “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
Unfortunately, 2015 was ASU Gammage’s first awards show and was the test season to be Jimmy Awards eligible. Therefore, Alcala did not get the chance to go to Broadway, although she has since made her New York debut and is now a professional actor in Seattle.
Photo courtesy of Glo Alcala
